Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1887-10-22
MULCHiNG In DROUTN.
The Imperative Necessity OfPrOtect-
ing Young Trees in Hot Weather.
NJ, Milton in Country Gentleman.

| Seldom summer season passes with
out drought. It may be Of only few
| weeks duration, or as sometimes is the
case, it may extend through the months
of July, August and September. Trees
| and shrubs planted in the spring are at
this season passing critical period; the
roots and shoots have got well started,
but are in succulent and tender condi-
ton, and are easily affected by any change
arising from a lack of moisture, The
leaves are in condition to rapidly evapo-
rate moisture, the continual hot and dry
atmosphere greatly increasing this evapo-
ration. The rootlets are taxed to their
utmost to maintain this rapid passing off
of the moisture, and unless there is a
sufficient supply at hand, they soon give
out, and the organs of the tree or shrub
become so weakened that it has to sue
cumb for lack of nourishment. The sur
face of the soil becomes very hot if fully
exposed to the sun, and creates rapid
evaporation of the moisture it contains.
It is imperatively necessary, therefore,
to help check this rapid evaporation by
mulching with some material of sufficient
looseness to admit of water and air, but
sufficiently dense to prevent the suns rays
from drying and heating the soil. Before
applying the mulch, it is advisable to stir
the surface of the soil to admit the rains
freely. On the top of this then apply the
mulch, spreading it out beyond the area
occupied by the roots, for unless carried
far enough from the stem of the tree to
cover the rootlets forming at the ends of
the old roots, it does not do very much
good. We often see trees having thick
covering of mulch placed close around
the stem of the tree, doing little if any
good, as the roots requiring to be bene-
fitted have extended several feet beyond
where the mulch is spread.
Mulching may not only be check
upon the evaporation of moisture from
the soil, but also an aid in supplying food
for newly set trees by using some material
containing supply of food. Nothing is
much better for this purpose than the
rough litter from the manure pile. It
contains considerable of the elements
which are necessary to build up plant life,
and every shower carries into the soil
these elements in condition suitable at
once for the plants requirements. Spent
hops as obtained from the breweries, make
an excellent mulch. I have used it large
~ lOI yCetIS, lOl UuAc puI PCoO' ouC JCul
mulched a patch of late cabbage with
about three inches of hops, and although
severe drought set in during September,
I had a most excellent crop of the largest
cabbages ever raised. / also value it
very largely for potting material. When
thoroughly decayed it is open In texture,
and for such plants as geraniums, fuch
cias and heliotropes, makes one of the
best soils I know of. From one brewery
I get from sixty to one hundred loads of
this material every year, and consider it
of double the value of barnyard manure,
bulk for bulk.
Any coarse material, however, may be
used as mulch, and rather than allow
the trees to suffer, use sawdust, if nothing
else can be had, although I am always
averse to putting undecayed sawdust
upon any kind of soil, especially soil of a
sour nature where the drainage is imper-
feet, as it is apt ito make the soil more
inert, and raise crop of fungus.